Holliday’s error hurts De León in his debut as Orioles lose to Rockies, 4-2

DENVER—In the bottom of the seventh inning, Orioles manager Craig Albernaz decided to introduce Luis De León to major league baseball. His introduction lasted five batters and produced two runs for the Colorado Rockies.

Those two runs broke a 2-2 tie and gave the Rockies a 4-2 win over the Orioles before 16,334 at Coors Field on Tuesday night.

The loss dropped the Orioles (69-70) 1 ½ games behind Cleveland for the third wild-card spot. The Guardians beat Toronto, 6-1.

De León (0-1) had recently been converted to a reliever, hoping that the left-hander could get some big outs this month.

His first batter, Mickey Moniak, popped up to short right field. Second baseman Jackson Holliday moved under the ball, but it hit the heel of his glove. Moniak reached second on a two-base error, and Rumfield followed with his 14^th homer.

“He hit it a ways up there and kind of moving towards the line,” Holliday said. “They’re not exactly the easiest plays. Big leaguers make it look probably too easy. But I’ve got to make that play, and it unfortunately led to a homer, which usually stuff like that does.

“It’s pretty frustrating, obviously, putting together a good at-bat the inning before and turn around and give them the lead right back. Can’t happen.”

Holliday hit his seventh home run against Jacen Hill (1-3) in the top of the seventh, tying the game, 2-2.

Holliday’s error ended the Orioles’ 10-game errorless streak, their longest in more than three years.

Manager Craig Albernaz was pleased by what he saw from his rookie left-hander. He had him warming up in the top of the seventh with the team trailing, 2-1.

“De León looked outstanding tonight,” Albernaz said. “Obviously, the dropped popup didn’t help his outing, but he still went out there and made pitches, and, yeah, that one pitch was just a backup slider.

“The first one he threw was where he wanted it and the second one just spun out of his hand weird. But he was outstanding tonight. Coming in, he’s making his debut, 15 pitches, 11 strikes. We take that all the time.”

Dylan Beavers doubled against Juan Mejía with two outs in the eighth. Mejía hit Samuel Basallo on the right foot with a pitch, then struck out Leody Taveras to end the inning. It was Taveras’ third straight strikeout.

Jordan Romano recorded his 14^th save by striking out Colton Cowser, who’s hitless in his last 14 at-bats, pinch-hitter Blaze Alexander and retiring Holliday on a fly ball to right field.

Adael Amador, one of the Rockies’ roster additions, homered with two outs in the second against Kyle Bradish. Zac Veen tripled and scored on Jake McCarthy’s single.

Carlos Narváez led off the third with a single against Gabriel Hughes. He later scored when Gunnar Henderson grounded into a 3-6-3 double play.

The Orioles loaded the bases with two outs in the fifth against Hughes. Brennan Bernardino retired Henderson on a popup to first.

Bradish allowed two runs on six hits in five innings, walking two and striking out four. He hasn’t had a win in his last seven starts

The Orioles, who had won four straight, end their nine-game road trip on Wednesday. They’re 6-2 on the trip. Colorado broke a 10-game losing streak.

How did De León look? De León didn’t’ show any nervousness.

“For me, it was good,” he said through a team translator. “I was able to throw strikes, control my emotions. Obviously, gave up the homer there, something I can’t take back in that moment, so after that happens, just controlling what I can control.”

Holliday and Bradish were impressed.

“He looked great. I wish I could have made that play for him, because he’d have had probably a clean inning after that,” Holliday said. “He attacked the zone. Excited to have him up here and to make plays for him.”

Said Bradish: “Definitely a tough situation to be put in there for your first one. I thought he was in the zone really good, just kind of hung a breaking ball, and that’s what guys at this level do, they hit hanging breaking balls.”

What does it mean? No matter what happens on Wednesday, the Orioles won’t return home in the third wild-card spot, but a win will mean a 7-2 road trip.

What’s the stat of the day? 4. The Orioles have scored just four runs in their first two games at Coors Field.

“Not frustrating. The at-bats, I think, could have been better,” Albernaz said. “It seemed like we were taking some hittable fastballs and then chasing a little bit, which is uncharacteristic for us, and I think our guys are at that time of year where they’re feeling it.

“Also, they know where we’re at and they want to try to do too much. It’s the beauty of baseball. It’s just one game, and then turn the page and come out tomorrow.”

What’s the word? “It’s a tie game, was a string of lefties for him, and also where we’re at in the season and in the bullpen, and kind of that’s who we had out there. We’re more than comfortable going there with him, and he threw the ball extremely well.”–Albernaz on using De León in a 2-2 game in the seventh.

What’s going on in the minor leagues? Enrique Bradfield Jr. had three hits and drove in three runs as Triple-A Norfolk beat Jacksonville, 9-3.

Rece Hinds and Brandon Butterworth homered, and Trey Gibson allowed two runs, one unearned, on three hits in five innings.

Vance Honeycutt hit a two-run home run, his second since joining Double-A Chesapeake, and Ethan Anderson hit a two-run home run as the Baysox defeated Portland, 6-4.

Caden Hunter allowed two runs on three hits in five innings, striking out nine.

Frederick defeated Brooklyn, 3-2, in 10 innings in the resumption of a suspended game of July 5^th. They swept the doubleheader with a 6-4 win in the second game. DJ Layton had two RBIs.

Eric Booth Jr. had two hits and an RBI in Single-A Delmarva’s 6-2 loss to Kannapolis.

What’s next? The Orioles end the road trip on Wednesday when Trevor Rogers (9-9, 4.38) starts against Tomoyuki Sugano (12-8, 5.23) at 3:10 p.m.

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